


Red Roses

by Rainbow_Femme



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat, Princess Sissi (TV)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, M/M, and the interesting way she became married to the emperor, arranged marriage does not go as planned, au where everyone is nice and no one is dead, based on the sissi movies, which are based on the life of the empress elisabeth of austria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 14:03:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11106078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow_Femme/pseuds/Rainbow_Femme
Summary: Laurent is happy for his brother when he hears that Auguste is to be engaged to the heir of the throne of Akielos, and he's more than happy to come along as he travels to finalize the details and attend a ball honoring the engagement. However, when both he and his brothers intended fiance meet one another while disguised as commoners, they fall for one another, only to realize at the ball the others true identity.





	Red Roses

Laurent jumped as a large body landed next to his on the couch in their library. Recovery from his near heart attack, he lowered his book to find Auguste sprawled beside him, grinning and holding up a letter, waving it in front of Laurent.

"We are going to need new clothes."

Laurent groaned, hating having to get new clothing tailored. He didn't understand why they couldn't just look at his existing clothes and make them in the same size, it would be much less work he was sure than making him stand for hours on end while they measured every part of him in front of a mirror.

"For what reason is it this time?" He didn't recall them scheduling another long hunting excursion or a reception with another kingdom. Perhaps he could convince them to let him wear something he already had, it certainly couldn't matter to anyone what the second in line prince would be wearing.

"A ball." His brother had a mischievous glint in his eye that made Laurent think it was not just any ball that they would be attending this time.

"A ball?" he asked, cautious. "We have dozens of outfits for a ball, why should we get something new for this one?"

His brother sat up, putting the letter in front of Laurent's book for him to read, grinning proudly.

"Because this one is in Akielos."

Laurent picked up the letter, reading it curiously. It had been at least three years since they had been in Akielos. He did not remember much, he had been only fifteen and not invited along to the peace meetings like his brother and parents, but he had wandered the gardens and found them to be far more beautiful than he had expected. He also remembered it had been quite warm, with everyone wearing much less clothing than Laurent thought he could ever wear in front of any one person, much less in public. He had insisted on keeping his Veretian clothing to wear and although he had felt like he was trapped inside of an oven, he was much more comfortable in that than walking around nearly nude.

He hated to think what passed for ball attire that he would be forced to wear.

The letter was not very long. It thanked their father for his continued efforts towards peace, wished them great prosperity, wished for many years of happiness between their two kingdoms as they...

Became one?

He reread the line to make sure he read it correctly. But there it was, the king of Akielos proposing they become an empire, ruled by one ruler from each of their countries.

The proposed rulers being the crown heir Damianos of Akielos, and his brother Auguste.

Laurent wracked his brain, trying to remember Damianos. He had greeted them three years prior during their meeting along with his parents and older brother. Laurent had been more distracted by the sight of the elder brother Kastor as he was a prince without a chance of ruling, just like Laurent, and it had been nice to be around someone else that was like him.

Damianos was... Tall? He believed, but everyone there seemed to be tall so that was not very helpful. He was dark as well, as all the others were. Had there been any defining qualities? He thought hard, conjuring a hazy image of the future king of Akielos. He believed he had the longest hair of the family, outside of his mother.

But he did know that Damianos and his brother had gotten along well. Of the few times he had seen them together they seemed to be laughing and discussing sports and riding.

Laurent set the letter down and turned to offer a smile to his brother. If his brother was to be married off to anyone, he was happy it was to someone he seemed to get along with.

"I am very happy for you, Auguste." The words had hardly left his mouth before his brother had slung an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close.

"I am so happy to hear that." His brother pulled back, looking into his face, searching for any sign that Laurent had lied and was not all right with this.

Laurent would admit he was a little sad at the news. His brother would have to spend part of the year away from home, and when he was home his time would be taken by his new husband and governing the new and larger kingdom.

It also meant that Laurent would likely be left to rule Vere while they were away. He had spent his life betting on the fact that his brother would rule and he would be married off to someone of similar status in a political alliance that left him free to do as he wished when he was not making appearances when needed.

It was a lot to take in, it was a lot that would be changing quickly about his life and his future. But it was best for his brother and for Vere, so he would be happy to do it. He had studied governance with his brother by request of their parents on the offchance something happened to Auguste and he would have to be heir. He was not totally in the dark. And in the end, his decisions would always go through the two new emperors before being implemented.

It would be all right.

He hugged his brother again and promised not to be too much of a pain as they were fitted for their new clothes. 

\--

He would be endlessly thankful that their parents had reached the engagement decision in the winter, as it meant Akielos was nearly a comfortable warmth rather than a blistering heat. It was good this was to be Auguste's home and not his own, he did not know how he would stand the heat of their summers.

However, he did not want to speak too soon. His father had hinted a number of times that Kastor had found him very agreeable on their last journey and would not be opposed to an engagement, should the kings wish it.

Laurent hoped that if he was married to Kastor they could reside in Vere and leave Akielos to the new emperors. 

Stepping out of the carriage, they were greeted by Kastor and the queen of Akielos. She offered her arm to Auguste while Kastor offered his to Laurent, giving a playful wink. No, Laurent didn't think it would be terrible to be married to him.

"My husband and son apologize for not being able to meet you upon your arrival. A trade disagreement has come up that they wished to handle before beginning talks."

"It is quite all right, I am happy to wait in your company until they come back." Auguste gave her one of the charming smiles that made Laurent remember why he would be such a good king, no  _emperor_ , one day. Laurent would never be the ruler his brother already was. But that was all right.

Auguste turned back towards him as they entered the palace.

"Today may be fairly boring for you if you would like to wander. I'm sure we have no reason to worry over your safety here."

The queen nodded her approval and told him some places that he might find interesting before Kastor walked him to his room and bid him a good afternoon, mentioning something about the wonderful Akielon stables as he left.

Laurent looked at the clothes he had brought with him, resigning himself to the fact that he did have to actually change into Akielon clothing now that they had arrived. He had been made one outfit for the ball which thankfully covered him somewhat, as well as a more casual outfit in the style of common Akielon nobility, should he wish to wander and not swelter in the heat.

Taking a deep sigh, he untied each of his laces and slipped into the new clothing, feeling more ready for bed in these clothes than he was ready to go out in public. However he did not want to spend hours in his room and even if the idea of riding a horse in this outfit seemed like a terrible idea, he assumed that if the men of Akielos were able to ride regularly and still father children then it could not be too terrible.

He was given a few curious glances as he made his way to the stables but no one stopped him or gave any indication that they knew he was a prince. He assumed most of the looks were simply that his hair color was unusual for the region and worth noting.

That was very fine with him, he was happy to spend a day as just another common noble wandering the palace.

He breathed in deeply as he entered the stables, automatically relaxing. No matter where he was, stables always relaxed him. Walking along the lines of horse stalls he looked for one that looked the easiest to befriend.

"The mare on the end has not been ridden in a while, she would be thankful to be taken out." 

Laurent jumped at the voice coming from behind him, spinning around to see a huge man standing very close. He was dressed similar to Laurent and holding a saddle, looking him over just as Laurent was looking at him.

Laurent tried not to blush as he noticed how handsome the nobleman was. His hair was cropped short but he could see the curl it had. He seemed to be made of muscle and stood well over a head taller than Laurent.

Composing himself, he tried to let his shoulders droop casually, inclining his head.

"Oh?"

The stranger nodded and lead the way to the roan mare by the end.

"She's a sweet girl, you would enjoy riding her I think."

Laurent nodded, patting her nose and watching the man from the corner of his eye.

"Were you thinking of going for a ride yourself?" He nodded to the saddle in the man's arms and he looked down at it as if he had forgotten it was there.

"I was hoping to. I'm not going to have much time alone in the coming days." He looked at Laurent and gave a smile that felt Laurent go a little weak in the knees. "If you have not ridden around here before I would be happy to show you some good trails."

Laurent hoped he looked much more casual than he felt. "If you would not mind."

The man grinned now and Laurent thought it was entirely unfair. "I would be delighted."

\--

They rode through a forest and a grove of trees, crossing creeks and leaping branches. Laurent didn't think he'd ever had so much fun riding, not even with Auguste, who was probably sitting in the palace right at that moment with his fiance-to-be and negotiating a marriage contract while he rode with a handsome stranger.

As they came to a stop by a calm river, the stranger dismounted and offered a hand to help Laurent down. Normally Laurent would have huffed at the idea that he needed assistance, but he was willing to pretend if it meant the nobleman would wrap an arm around his waist to help him down.

They sat on the soft grass as their horses drank from the river and nibbled leaves off branches.

The nobleman smiled and leaned back against a tree, sighing contently.

"I have very much enjoyed your company today, but I don't even know your name."

Laurent tried to think fast, not wanting to give himself away, afraid the man would treat him differently when he heard Laurent was a prince.

"Back in Vere, they like to call me the prince of ice." He hated the nickname, hated that everyone thought him incapable of warmth because of his shyness. However, the stranger was smiling at him, he did not seem to think Laurent was frigid.

"Well, my dear ice prince, they like to call me Damen." He tilted his head to the side as he looked at Laurent. "You are from Vere? Then you must have come with the two real princes of Vere, they are visiting for the next few days."

Laurent suppressed his grin and settled back next to Damen.

"I did indeed. Do you know them?" He did not know if he would remember this man standing out from all the other Akielons he had met those years ago. His eyes had been much more for books than for handsome strangers.

Damen shrugged. "Vaguely. They visited the palace once. I saw the young prince for a few brief moments, not enough to get much of an impression beyond his nose being ever buried in a book. The elder seemed nice enough."

Laurent nodded. "You will find Auguste to be everything a king should be. Handsome, courageous, kind."

Damen turned to Laurent and smiled. "I find myself much more enchanted by a different Veretian at the moment than the crown prince." Laurent was sure he blushed this time, both of them looking away.

Damen gazed off along the length of the river, his face saddening. "It is too bad, truly, that I had to meet you today. I am to be married soon. I never had any delusions about marrying for love, but I had always hoped..." He forced a smile and turned back to Laurent. "Enough about me, I would like to know more about the Veretian prince of ice."

Laurent tried not to grin, did not want to give away how happy he was that Damen liked him. "I like red roses."

"Red roses, I will be sure to remember that. What else?"

"Well..." Laurent spent the better part of an hour telling Damen about all of his favorite books and the horses he rode back home and the places in his own forest he went to when he was home. Damen told him about his best friend Nikandros, the trouble they got themselves into, and all the places they had hidden from their parents when they did not wish to go to balls and receptions, something Laurent understood all too well.

"Will you be attending the ball this evening?" Damen offered his hand as they stood and made their way to their horses, the day fading fast and Laurent needing time to clean up and make himself presentable.

"I might be." He let Damen help him up onto his horse, loving that the man could life him with one arm. As they raced back to the palace, Laurent thought of how he would explain himself to Damen once he saw at the ball that he was in fact a real prince of Vere. But he seemed like a man who would not be angry at Laurent for the slight deception. Perhaps he could meet Damen's father, a marriage to a prince had to be better than to whomever it was he was betrothed to now...

Laurent shook himself. He should not be thinking about something like that right now. It was foolish to wish for things that would never come true.

Damen helped him back down in the stables. "Save me a dance?"

"I promise." Damen grinned at his response and shook his hand.

"I look forward to it." Damen bent down and kissed the top of Laurent's hand before walking away, leaving Laurent in a pink haze as he watched his retreating form, heaving a sigh of both happiness and sadness.

\--

"What are you looking for?"

Laurent jumped as he looked up to Auguste, both standing outside the reception hall and waiting to be called inside.  Laurent had hoped he was more subtle about his looking for the nobleman than it seemed he was.

"I met someone in the stables, he said he would be here tonight."

Auguste grinned and ruffled his hair. Laurent quickly fussed to fix it, wanting to look his best for Damen, should he be here tonight.

"You met someone already? Will there be two weddings in Akielos instead of one?"

Laurent tried to pout and not let on that he did like that idea much more than he should. It was so rare for him to feel comfortable talking with someone, he liked the idea of marrying someone who made him feel so happy and so comfortable so easily.

"Maybe he is already inside, we'll have to keep a look out for him."

A moment later their names were announced and they walked in behind their parents.

Their parents bowed their heads to the king and queen of Akielos, to Kastor, and to-

Damen, standing beside the king, whose eyes were as glued to Laurent's face as his own were glued to Damen's.

The Akielon royal family came over to formally greet them all. His mother put a hand to Laurent's shoulder as she noticed him and Damen staring at one another.

"I was afraid you would not remember each other from so long ago, I am happy to see that you do."

"Yes," Damen, prince Damianos, said as he bent and pressed another kiss to Laurent's hand. "I remember him well."

The others did not seem to notice as the ball began around them. Damianos and Auguste opened the ball together and Laurent danced with Kastor, who did seem to notice that he was much more distant than he had been earlier.

"I'm just not feeling well," he said distantly as he was asked what was wrong. He felt sick that Auguste was the man Damen said he was to marry, and even sicker that even knowing this he still wished to steal Damen away from his brother who was so happy to marry him and become emperor of the new kingdom they would create.

Because that was what would happen if Laurent married Damen. He would not be marrying some noble he would be marrying a man tasked with leading two kingdoms and Laurent would be expected to do the same. Could he do that? He did not doubt that Damen could but he hardly believed in his abilities in leading one country much less two.

He looked up as a red rose appeared in front of him. He looked up to see Damen - Damianos - standing before him and offering the flower.

"It seems we both had secrets to hide."

Laurent took the rose, inhaling the scent.

"If I had known, I would never have..."

"Are you sorry?" Damen looked so sad when he said that, so afraid that Laurent regretted the time they spent together. But he couldn't pretend he did.

"No, I'm not. But it can't continue, my brother-"

"Does not love me any more than I love him." A warm finger went under his chin to guide Laurent to look at him. "You would not be stealing me away from him, Laurent."

What was he suggesting? It couldn't be what Laurent was thinking.

"You're engaged to one another." 

"Not until I announce it. Until then, the agreement is I betroth myself to a prince of Vere. I would be very happy to fulfill that wish."

Laurent looked to Damianos, not at all like he had been those years ago. Hair cut short, more beautiful than Laurent had remembered, and offering his hand in marriage. If only fifteen year old Laurent could see this now.

"Please, don't ask me to make the decision to take something from my brother. I love him more than anything in this world, I would never take away his happiness."

Damen nodded and stepped back, breaking Laurent's heart as he did. No matter what he said he had hoped Damen would beg, say that he could not be married to anyone but Laurent, refuse to marry Auguste. 

But Damen - Damianos - was king to be and he would not beg a foreign prince for his hand.

Laurent took his rose and walked to the edge of the dance floor, letting the prince be surrounded by his people as he returned to the center.

Laurent told himself that the burn of tears was idiotic. There was no reason to feel such things for a prince he had spent only one afternoon with. Sure it was a greater time than he had spent with anyone else and he somehow felt the same, but it was so stupid of him to hope for more.

The ball passed in a blur around him, occasionally turning down invitations to dance from Akielon nobles looking to gain advantage with a prince.

Finally a horn was blown and it was time for Damianos to declare his future husband. Laurent's eyes found Auguste across the room as he squared his shoulders, face set in determination. Laurent knew his brother always wished to marry for love, just as they all had. His brother would not marry a man he loved, but he was ready to do his duty to his home country and his new country.

Damianos walked to the center of the room with his parents. Everyone knew what was coming, they knew why they were here. They knew who Damianos was going to choose.

Which was why they were all as surprised as Laurent when Damianos turned to his right rather than his left and walked over to Laurent, offering him his hand, his face nervous but determined.

"Prince Laurent of Vere?"

Laurent looked to his face, clutching the red rose in his hand. He looked to Auguste and saw his face painted first by surprise, then by realization, and then, mercifully, a smile and a nod. He was giving his permission and his blessing. That was all Laurent needed to extend his hand to Damianos - Damen - and let the Akielon prince hold his hand like it was a life line.

"Yes, prince Damianos?"

"Would you accept a place by my side as ruler of our two kingdoms?"

Laurent did his best to suppress the smile that was threatening to overtake him.

"I would. Damen."

 


End file.
